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RUFINA NUGGERATH, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

Letters Patent No. 72,601, dated member 24,1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN COATING AND METALLIZING FABRIGS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, RUFINA NtiGGERA'I'iI, (GEMMERfMA-NQ widow, of Paris, France, have invented Improvements in thePreparation or Treatment of Fabrics or Materials for the Manufacture of Various Useful Articles;" and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention refers to a new process of hardening, metallizing fabrics or materials for the manufacture of various useful or fancy products, such as baskets, boxes, salvers, vases, screens, pocket-books, trimmings for ladies dress, furniture, and the like. 7

I will actually describe the various operations which fabrics have to undergo to get hardened, ornamented, metallized. These operations consist, first, in covering, inrobing thefabric, solid or open, made use of for the formation of the article to be metallized or simply hardened and colored; secondly, in hardening by drying and moulding the fabric thus coated, which is afterwards to be either colored, dyed, or metallized; thirdly, in painting or otherwise immersing, (when required for certain applications,) the articles into a dye-tub, there to be dyed; fourthly, in coating over the whole surface of the article being moulded and hardened with a gum-lac or other like varnish, preparatory to the met-allizing process; fifthly, in galvanizing or metallizing with any metal, and by any known process, chemical or electric, the article which has been varnished in a foregoing operation; sixthly, in putting in an oven, after previous dipping, the galvanized object, so as to burn the textile material n'ithiii, and clear all moisture, whereby the external metallic coating might be'injured, and fitting the article to receive a last coating of gold, silver, bronze, 85c. 1

The fabrics I make use of are open-work, such as net, lace, web, &c., whatever may be the designs thereon, and the material they were made of. Teen likewise use fabrics made of hair, sparta, and generally all textile, either vegetable or animal substances, either plain or open-work.

l The mctallizing process of vegetable or other fabrics requires a previous treatment which consists in hard ening and protecting them against the eifects of galvanization or metallization. This result I obtain by dipping the fabric into a dissolution of silicate of potash, which I claim especially, or immersing them into a solution of glue, resin, pyroligneous acid, pyrolignite of iron, gum, creosote, salt, and other product, forming coating, and conducing to the same result, the required hardening of the fabrics.

On being taken out of the inrbbing-coating solution the fabrics are placed on a fit mould, of form corresponding to that of the article which is to be manufactured. This mould, which gives the fabrics the requisite form,

should be previously coated with afatty or soapy body for rendering easier the taking out of the mould, when by drying, or by the inrobing or coating preparation above mentioned, the article is sufliciently hardened. After the unmoulding the article is, over its whole surface, impregnated with a gum-lac or other like varnish. This varnish has some powdered color in it, when it is desired to simply color or tint the hardened article without metallizing it, as is the case for blinds, screens, chimney-fronts and mantels, trimmings for curtains, tapestry, trimmings for various articles of dress, 850., for which various applications the articles may be metallized, galvanized, or hot. The objects thus coated or varnished as described, are metallized or galvanized by any known process, Christofies, Ruolzs, in chemical or electric solutions.

The products taken out of tho copper bath are to be heated in an oven previous to their being dipped in the silver solution. They are heated as much as possible, but not so much as to render the copper brittle or blacken it. This operation is intended to burn the vegetable fabric within the metal, and to extract the water therefrom, which might produce verdigris.

The same products, previous to their dipping in thegold, silver, &c., solutions, are to be scratched, scoured, chipped, or otherwise dipped into an acid solution, for the purpose of eliminating the excess of copper and rendering more un'cxceptionable the gilding, silvering, 85c.

' My invention also consists in producing imitations of gold, silver, by diluting gold, silver, bronze-powder with white varnish, or by applying, sprinkling by means of a suitable brush, the dry powder over my fabrics coated previously with my undried varnish. Those imitations may in certain occurrences be an advantageous substitute for the mctallization or galvanization, as aforementioned.

I also will mention a slightly yellow-colored coating of varnish over any silver or silver-imitating product, so as to give it the appearance of gold; also, applying powders either wet, by mixing said. powders with the varnish, or dry, by sprinkling these powders over the varnished article when. stiilundried, in combination with my spirit-varnish, cabinet-varnish, gum-lac varnish, which are conductors of electricity for the metallizing of fabrics or other materials, in the galvano-plastie bath. This sprinkling of metallic powders may he a substitute for plombagine, and assist in ccppering the article in the bath.

My invention may therefore be summed up as follows:

Sprinkling my fabrics or other materials over with metallic, bronze, copper, or other powders, previous to their being galvanized. I

sprinkling, likewise, my said fabrics and materials over with powders as substitutes for metallization; and I desire it to be distinctly understood that I may ornament and metellize not only my tight and open fabrics, lace, webs, nets, 8.10., but also all, eitherfull or. open, deutated or lace-imitating papers, plaster, and other plastic statues, or the like,'by the same processes as herein described.

The vegetable textile fabrics which I preferably use are, crochet-made nets and nets of all descriptions, whatever may be their designs and the substance they are made of. Metallizing is likewise applied to fabrics or acts made of hair, horse-hair, sparta, and generally of such 'or the like textile vegetable materials as are from their nature liable to be woven.

I dip into a silicate bath (of potash, soda, or lime,) the vegetable tissue. Upon its then being taken out from said bath I lay it on a mould for which it was prepared. The mould should previously be lubricated with any fatty or soapy body, so as to facilitate the taking from the mould when the article has been properly dried and hardened. I appropriate the fabrics to being metallized for the purpose of manufacturing fancy articles, such as baskets, flower-stands, dishes, salvcrs, screens, portfolios, head-trimmings, and others.

The metallizing of vegetable tissues requires a previous preparation, which consists in hardening and protecting them against the effects of mctallization', which result I obtain, as aforesaid, by dipping them into a silicate bath of potash, soda, or lime. This operation being over, and upon the taking from the block on which the tissue was dried, the Wholesurface of the moulded piece is to be coated, either by immersion or by means of a brush, with a neutral varnish, that is to say, a spirit, shellac, benjamin, or the like varnish. After the article is dried I'cover it with plumbago, and then have it metallized, either by means of the electric battery or by mere immersion into the metallic bath. I can obtain gold or silver on the same article by using spare varnish, the parts covered therewith having no hold on the metal. I use also the following process for obtaining the mctallization:

I dissolve nitrate of silver into other or alcohol; I dipinto the dissolution the hardened fashioned piece, and allow it to drip. I prepare a dissolution of three and onehalf ounces, (one hundred grammcs,) about, of phosphorus, per one and one eight-tenth pint, (one litre,) of sulphuret of carbon. When the piece has been submitted to the nitrate of silver, I empty out the dissolution of phosphorus into a vessel, which I lay at the bottom of a I.

box, and suspend from books secured to the lid of said box by platinum wires the piece or fabric prepared as described. I shut the box tightly for two (2) hours, and then transfer the piece to the bath again. Phosphorus has the property of causing salt of silver to pass to the metallic state. To the piece, and as a weight upon in the bath, is fastened :1. china (never metal) ball therein, to sojourn for about forty hours.

I prefer using nitrate of silver, still reserving the employ of all salts productive of metallization by galvanoplasty, all colored salts combined with copper, or all metallic salts which, through their combination, can precipitate a metal on or into my tissue. By this means, and by imbibing the fabric with various metallic dissolutions, I am enabled to obtain various colors, according to the colors of the precipitate. Paper is metallized by the same process. The operation is to be repeated two or three times, it being well understood that the fabric must have been dipped previously into the silicate and hardened on the mould.

Another part bf my invention consists in producing imitations of gold and silver by diluting gold, silver, brass, &c., powders in a white varnish, or by sprinkling with'dry powders, by means of a sable or other suitable brush, the fabrics coated over with my first yet undried varnish. I may sprinkle the same at will, with pounded glass of diversified colors, cloth, sand, ,&c., powders, or the like. i

i I dip the fabrics intended for baskets, cups, &c., into melted wax, intcrmixing pearls to my crochet-made or other nets, even when they are to be mctallized. I also some times mix some colored powders with the silicate. These imitations may in some occurrcnccs'prove to be advantageous substitutes for the metallization or galvanization above mentioned; they only are more unstable. a I also claim coating silvercd products with. any colored varnish. This metallic powdering will also assist in the coppering or metallization in the galvanic bath. I also use, ashardcning-matter, not only the silicate, which, however, I claim, but also rosin, creosote, salt-benjamin, and other inrobing baths, conducing to the same purpose, that is to say, to the required hardening of the fabric. For a similar purpose I use, besides chloride of lead, white resin in the melted state, and mixed with spirits of wine, caseine, or, first, one part of quicklime, steeped into five parts of water, taking the solution at the very moment the same is for being employed; second, a mixture of five parts of albumen under decomposition or putrefaction with one part of the said solution of lime.

To conclude, my invention, which is more especially applicable to net-work of all descriptions, has for its,

principal object a new process of hardening, ornamenting, coloring, metallizing, or galvanizing the said fabrics, so as to produce articles which, through the various operations they undergo as described, will assume the real appearance of open-workcd metal. The some articles may be simply colored with diversified hues, in which case they are more properly applied as hangings, so as to replace paper, embossed leather portiercs, blinds, and other like ornaments, being thus substituted for lace-work in fancy boxes, chimney-mantel trimmings, bell-pulls, all embroidered with silk, pearls, &c., 82c.

Plain colored fabrics require large looms or frames. I have them made on end, widening at will from the neasure of the fabric, by causing the upper bar to slide, and securingit with pegs. These frames are provided on their four sides with pins, which might be advantageously substituted by jaws for holding the edges of the fabric. Two attendants are employed in laying the colors onthe stretched tissue,-by means of large brushes, so-called cod-tailed brushes, (queues cle morue.) They are brushing or laying the color by means of such brushes on both surfaces at once, that is to say, one of them is laying the color on one surface, whilst the other is collectingwhat runs through the apertures in the open-work, and spreads it on the other side.

7 For hangings and fancy articles, a first layer is applied, of either first-rate silicate or of any hardeningmatter, as hereinbefore described. Paste mixed with pulverized color will prove most economical. Allow it to get congealed before you use it. Allow the fabric to get dried on the frame, and afterwards coat over this first layer with a colorless lac-varnish, by oil of turpentineor any tar-based varnish. Apply the fabric on"tra nsparent linings of diversified colors. To simulate open-worked velvet, I disseminate over the yet nndried var nished net-lace some cloth-dust. For blinds I preferably use pulverized color, colored spirit-varnishes, as is usually done for reflectors or shades, and any fabrics which are to grow bright by the light.

I also apply my invention to making mosquito-nets, which I coat with my preparations, powdering tncm over with any insecticide-dust, such as theGauoasian camoinile, (Pg retro) &c., &c. The same process will still hold good for bed-trimmings.

The new process, as described, of hardening, ornnmenting, metallizing, or galvanizing fabrics and other materials, so as to produce, by the various operations herein described and especially claimed, articles having the appearance, or being really completely transformed into open-work metal.

[llhe same articles, which may be only diversified in colors, and left unmetallized, as being especially applicable to various purposes, such as articles of dress, furniture; to hangings, tapestry; to artistic objects, &c.

I likewise claim ornament-ing,imetallizing papers, plaster, and other articles, by the same processes as described. 3

RUFINA NOGGERATH,

nee GEMMERMAN.

Witnesses:

F. F. RANDOLPH,

DEMOS, A. Guron. 

